A14 toll plan between Cambridge and Huntingdon ‘will be dropped’

Campaigners have welcomed reports that planned tolling on the A14 will be dropped and that the upgrade will be funded by the Government instead.

The Government had proposed to charge motorists £1 or £1.50, and heavy vehicles double that, to use a congestion-busting southern bypass between Cambridge and Huntingdon, but local political and business leaders had only supported tolling very reluctantly, while their counterparts in Suffolk had been opposed outright.

Now Government sources have indicated that the £1.5 billion project, construction of which is due to start in 2016, will be wholly funded by taxpayers without tolling. An announcement is due to be made by Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, as part of Thursday’s autumn statement.

Motorists and businesses had been concerned about the cost of tolling, and about the alternative for local drivers of a potentially congested drive through Huntingdon. There had also been worries that charging could push more traffic onto roads through towns and villages along the route.

John Bridge, chief executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce, hailed the reports as a “positive step forward and a victory for common sense”.

He said: “When you look at the HS2 rail project, the Government has said the country needs a rail system fit for the future to drive economic growth, and we believe the same principle applies to the A14.

“It’s a road of international importance, it has a very significant negative impact on the economy currently, and if the Government believes in being able to help drive the economy forward then it needs to actually invest in our roads, in the same way as HS2.”

A study last year had revealed the A14 upgrade would do a better job of cutting congestion if tolling was dropped, warning nearly one in five vehicles would avoid the route if charging was introduced.

The Government had insisted the project would be unaffordable without between £300 million and £500 million from tolling, but Prime Minister David Cameron had pledged to “listen carefully” to campaigners’ concerns, and his deputy Nick Clegg had told the News there was “some way to go” before a final decision was taken.

Daniel Zeichner, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Cambridge, said years had been wasted now the Government found itself back in a similar position to 2010, when the last upgrade proposals were scrapped over cost concerns.

He said: “This is a handbrake turn from a Prime Minister who only a few weeks ago was telling us that the improvements couldn’t go ahead without tolling.

“Labour rightly expressed concern about these plans and said we would review them on coming to office. As on so many other issues in the last few weeks, this is another panic-induced U-turn from David Cameron.

“My concern is that this will cause further delays – jobs, homes and economic recovery in our region hinge on these improvements, and shouldn’t be put at risk by an unstable Government unable to stick to any plan for more than a few months.”

However, the decision was welcomed by Government MPs.

Jonathan Djanogly, who represents Huntingdon, said: “‘I am delighted to hear this news. At best tolling was going to hold up the process, and now we need to all concentrate on delivering this new road as soon as possible.”

Julian Huppert, who represents Cambridge, added: “I hope this announcement will be made because I never thought tolling the A14 was the right thing to do.

“I was extremely worried it would drive traffic, especially heavy goods vehicles onto side roads and through our towns and villages.

“We have to make sure this project is carefully managed to achieve a solution to the problems on the A14 while at the same time, not creating new problems for those living around this road.”

Local authorities had agreed to contribute about £100 million towards the A14 upgrade, which will also include widening of existing roads. Parallel roads between Swavesey and Girton had also been proposed, to allow local traffic to avoid the toll.